Techmaster P.E.B. – Bass Computer

HX Pro B. NR version.
This does not have the original samples!

Bass By Numbers is an Kraftwerk-inspired Electrogroove with lots of MG blip 1

Listening to this album on Spotify and it seems most samples have been removed and replaced with "home made" imitations. Strange, as some of the same samples appear in different tracks. "Time To Jam" has had the 'bass!' sample replaced, yet the same sample appears in "Bassgasm" and it has not been replaced.

Notice green writing on this version. there is 3 different paint schemes out . all 1991.Green being the very first of the pressings.

Yes, this album represents an era. Most people who see this discogs page will probably have been a part of it, and most will have a similar story. On my first long road trip driving myself, I happened across this CD (and a bunch of others I still listen to often) in the first used CD store I had ever been in. Pure chance!

Lucky for me I had a pair of 10" Bazookas at the time, so the rest of the road trip was fun indeed. My car stereo has advanced quite a lot since then, and this CD never ceases to give me ample opportunity to go a little more hard of hearing.

Sure it sounds a bit dated, but it's still quite fun. The techno is pretty simplistic, and there's a heavy hip-hop/scratch influence on many tracks. But it stands as possibly the best more-than-just-bass bass music CD, in my opinion. The copious melodies are quite catchy. The soft synth patch choices are warm and inviting. The production quality is excellent.

The best tracks are: D.P.E, Bass Computer, P.E.B. 500, Don't Stop the Music, Techno Bass Beats, Bad Bass Mix (last half), Euromusik, Outerbass Mix, Tech'in Slow. Ah, maybe I should have just listed the (1-2) tracks I don't like...

In case you were wondering, D.P.E. and Outerbass Mix takes its voluminous samples from War of the Worlds by Jeff Wayne, a great album in its own right (though a far cry from Bass Music!).

I think it's fitting I be the first to comment here since I added it 9 years ago when I first got to discogs.com. And 20 years since it's release and the first time I heard it.

Story goes...20 years ago I was 15. California, low riders and big car speakers was huge. Getting huge speakers was your rite to passage like kids getting an iPod today. My older brother just started to drive and for his birthday got Rockford Fosgate Punch 150 series amp, 2 punch 12's, technics cd player and lots of dynomat. And we hit the streets in search of where to boom. i was just about to get my license and on my birthday I got a punch amp myself, polk audio mids and highs and some Kicker subs. Bass music was big and car stereo competitions CDs were just fresh to the scene. I had just evolved into my first techno compilations in 1991 and at the store I bought a cassette of a little known Techmaster p.e.b. Kraftwerk samples, somewhat cheesy melodies but plenty of techno bass. My friend was sponsored by Pioneer and had 12 12's and while others played more urban bass CDs this was our hometown choice. Check the electro on Bass by Numbers. This was far and away the best bass cd ever produced. if someone says 'it came from outer bass 2' also by PEB I understand.

Never mind anyone who gives this cd a low rating. If you heard this at the time it was released and put it into context with what was out previous or shortly after this has the staying power still today. Sure its slightly cheesy but so was bass music in general. Listen to DPE with it's terrific eerie intro and melody. What makes thiis cd classic is the ode to Kraftwerk-esque ala 'music non-stop' sampling. There are some dated sounds for sure on some of the more upbeat tracks. However the ones were PEB does his forte are still as impactful to me as they were 20 years. Romantic bass song? Sure..."computer love" still a favorite of mine all time. Check out 'Computer Bass' or 'PEB 500' for excellent techno bass tracks. Still sounds futuristic. What Dynamix II was to the world of electro PEB was that to short lived bass scene. Thankfully the brother of bass named electro coupled with Kraftwerk and decent melodies makes this cd still relevant and listenable to today.

The crossover appeal to this cd was wide. Introducing African American kids to Kraftwerk through low-riding and speaker competitions. Giving caucasion kids street cred to play loud music and hang out in car clubs. Before gangster music was big and before all the pop rap one hit wonders you had something like this that could be made.

This cd reached cult status many years ago. Actually selling to Gold status and warranted the gold re-release. If you want to hear the stories about how many people remember this odd cd check out his myspace page for example. See the wide arrange of different kind of people who were influenced and remember this little known cd. You just don't see this kind of cult status on something so relatively unknown 20 years later.The Paul Hardcastle(Rainforest / 19) of bass. For the good or bad depending on your tastes. I enjoy the melodics and there is plenty of them like in "euro bass". If you like the melodies you should like some of Bass 305 as well so check them out.

This cd showed me what was possible in electronic instrumental music as a 15 year old 20 years ago this year. Thank you Douglas Kaye